It's Friday night, and while it may be champ week on the hardwood, aces are running wild on the diamond tonight — and there are quite a few that you can't afford to miss.
Pitching is going to be the backbone of our selections for this slate, as a few of the best arms in the nation will get the opportunity to showcase themselves in marquee matchups.
Seeing as there's nothing more I love than a good pitcher's duel, I can hardly wait. So, let's dive right into my top three best bets.
Campbell vs. No. 14 Liberty, 4 p.m. ET
The Flames enter this two-games series as hot as they come. They have won 11 straight ball games, with their most recent victory being the biggest to date as they topped the North Carolina Tar Heels in an electric performance.
However, now they must refocus as they'll host the Fighting Camels, who are the best the Big South has to offer. There may be no better example of their talent than thier starter in this one.
Thomas Harrington has been lights out so far this season. Through 20 innings of work, he has allowed two runs and punched out 33 guys. But, believe it or not, his .104 opponent batting average is not even the best in the Camels rotation.
Harrington's counterpart in this one has not been too bad either. Joe Adametz III has a 0.56 ERA and has averaged more than a strikeout per inning in each of his three starts. His ERA has a chance to become even more microscopic in this start as he's facing a Campbell lineup that has struggled mightily and holds a .214 team batting average.
Backing unders for Harrington's starts may be a play every Friday as he is a diamond in the rough, and the market has yet to recognize just how good he is.
Pick: Under 10.5
No. 9 Notre Dame vs. No. 22 NC State, 6 p.m. ET
This is potentially the best series of the weekend as you get the Fighting Irish and their nation-best 1.41 staff ERA matched up against Tommy "Tanks" White and the Wolfpack.
The Wolfpack are coming off a dreadful weekend as they were swept handily by a few of the Big Ten's best, but their offense is still one of the best in the country as they're hitting .337 as a team.
However, the Wolfpack will be lined up against Notre Dame's ace, Aiden Tyrell. He has been masterful through three starts this season as he has only surrendered one run through 16 innings of work and has an opponent batting average of just .211.
In a matchup of good hitting against good pitching, I'm always going to side with the men on the mound, but it is the mound work for the Wolfpack that makes the difference here.
Sam Highfill will get the ball for NC State here, and while his ERA may be inflated, it is his inability to put hitters away that concerns me against the Fighting Irish. For all the love their pitching staff is getting, the lineup is also supporting them. Notre Dame is slashing .311/.385/.489 as a team.
With their ace on the mound against a guy who will allow them to put the ball in play, I'm siding with the Irish to take the opener on the road.
Pick: Notre Dame -125
No. 25 Gonzaga vs. Long Beach State, 9 p.m. ET
This is quietly one of the best series of the weekend, and you have a surging Gonzaga team fresh off a sweep of No. 4 Oklahoma State going up against a hungry Long Beach State program that has scuffled a bit after being ranked preseason.
On top of that, the Friday night pitching matchup is worth more than the price of admission. Bulldogs'ace Will Kempner will toe the slab, and he has been nothing short of dominant as he holds a 1.69 ERA coming in. Kempner also possesses one of the most live arms in the country as he is one of three pitchers nationwide to hit triple digits on the gun this season.
That lively fastball has led to some command issues, as he has 10 walks, two wild pitches and five hit batters. However, it's tough to hit when it's over the plate. He'll get a Dirtbags offense that is hitting just .253 for the year.
Just as in the first section, we are set up for another pitcher's duel as LBSU's Luis Ramirez is one of the better right-handers in the country. Ramirez holds a 0.50 ERA and averages a punch out per inning through three starts. He is the definition of a bulldog and will for sure be fired up to silence the Bulldogs he is facing and go blow for blow with Kempner.
Pick: Under 8.5
